Tray-blank feed mechanism



April 29, 1924. 1,491,869

- A. J. KUSTERER TRAY BLANK FEED MECHANISM Original Filed May 29, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Alo si s Jfl' t 'INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS 1,491,869 A; J. KUSTERER T l-(AYE BLANK FEED MECHANISM v Qriginal Filed May 29. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

,A Zayazzas fjfasjerer April. 29, 1924. 1,491,869

' A. J. KUSTERER TRAY BLANK FEED MECHANISM Original Filed May 29. 1920 4 Sheets-Shed 5 B Y %W 4M A TTORNEYS A rifzs. 1924. 1,491,869

A. J. KUSTERER TRAY BLANK FEED MECHANISM -0riginal Filed may 29. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A log/61w JKwLer IN VEN TOR.

M ATTORNEY-5 Patented Apr. 29, 1924.

UNITED s1" MES rArnna BOX MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, A CORPORA-.

TION OF VIRGINIA.

TRAY-manic rn'nn MEoHANIsn Original application filed m be, 1920, Sria1 No. 335,3G1. nividea an djthisap-plieation filed August 10,

' 1921-. Serial No. 491,221.

plication for a' tray-making, machine filed May 29th, 1920, Serial No. 385,361. In this 16 application is described and claimed a magazine for holding'a stack of prepared blanks of paper-board or the like and mechanism for feeding said blanks to a forming mechanism. I p H In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views: s

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one end of my tray making machinev comprising theimproved feed mechanism; i

Figure 2 is an elevation viewed from the side opposite Figural;

Figure 3 is a planiview of the feed mechanism;

- so F igure' 4 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof; I o I Figure 5 is an end elevation; Figure 6 is a transverse section through the table;

Figure 7 is a perspective of a feed finger;

Figure 8 is a. longitudinal section of the this laterallyextending end 41 each guide feed finger; v v

Figure 9 is a perspective ofa bridge member beneath which blanks are pushed;

Figures 10 and 11 are viewsof details of the bridge member and assembled parts, and

Figure 12 illustrates the type of blank designed to vbe fed by the means of this invention.

ticularly described herein, previously out and scored paper board blanks impregnated with parafline, of the form illustrated at B, Figure 12 V .30 hopper at the rear end of the machine. By the operation of the machine the paper board blanks are 'fed in proper timed relation toward a forming mechanism.

In the embodiment illustrated and par-- are stacked in a magazine .or

A table casting 30 of irregularoutline,-as shown in Figure 3, is bridged across the space between frames 9-and bolted to the upper sides *or the members 13 of said frames. The sides drum table 30"have T-shaped recesses formed therein'providingl which, and thememb'ers 13, securing bolts 32 are passed; and four wider portions 33 on whicharemounted four angle columns 34 which constitute a magazine or hopper for holding a stack'of paper board blanks B. Each angle co'lumn'34 has, at its base,

a flange 35 which is'slotted at 36. A bolt 36 passes through this-slot and a slot-or hole in the table and enables each column 34 to be adjusted laterally of the machine in order t0 adapt the magazine to hold blanks of different "widths. The transverse vertical webs of the forward magazine columns" 34 end a distance above the surface of. thetable 30 substantially equal to the thickness of a paperboard blankas shown at 37. The. rearward members 33 of the table 30, are slotted longitudinally of the machine asat 3 8 ,"so that the rearward pair of columns 34 may be adjusted longitudinally of theniachine'to adapt the magazine to receivelonger or shorter blanks B; Fillets Bolted to each one of the forward columns,

34 is a guide member 40, of a height equal to the thickness of the flanged base 35 of the column, The forward end of a each guide"4 extends laterally at right angles to its length as shown at 41 and through have moved away from the lateral support of the columns during the feeding operation. v

The table 30 is provided centrally with a fore and aft groove having an undercut portion 42 and a depressed right angular -39 serve to strengthen the casting 30."

channel 43 running from the forward edge thereof to the extremity of a rearward extension 30? of the table'30. On one side this groove 42 is bounded by the inset shim 44.

A reciprocating fee bar'45 is ar-. ranged to reciprocate in the groove 42,43. The feed bar 45 comprises a bar that is of dove-tail crosssection fitting the undercut portion 42 of said groove, and a rack member 46 on its under side fitting the rectangular channel 43. About midway of its length the table is slotted asat 47,

from the bottom of channel 43, to permit 'a gear wheel 48 to engage the rack 46,1as

clearly shownin Figure 4.v The gear wheel 48 is secured to a short shaft 49 which is.

journaled in hangers 5O bolted to the under side of table 30, and is given an oscillatory or alternating rotary movement, by means to be presently described, inorder to reciprocate the feed bar 45.v V a 7 On topof thereciprocating feed bar e a feed finger 51 is adjustably secured by means of the bolt 52 passing through" a slot 53 in said finger 51, and threaded into the bar 45 so that the position of said finger 51 may be longitudinally shifted with. re-

spect to the bar 45 The finger 51 lies between the sidewalls of the said fore and aft groove in the table 30 above the under- "cut portion, but may project slightly above the surface of the table, as by a distance approximately equal to the thickness of one 1 of the paper board blanks stacked in the magazine. The forward end of the finger 51 is slotted longitudinally as shown in Figures 7 and 8, thus providing two parallel ends 54 between which the feed finger tip 55' is pivoted. The finger tip 55 has a forward end of a width equal to the full width of the finger 51. From the wide end of the finger tip a shank-56 extends rearward between the parallel members 54 and is pivoted at57 near its rear terminal to v 34. Just back of the chamfer 61 is a narrow horizontal surface 62, and back of the surface is a relatively wide recess, rectangular in section, in which is secured a hardened steel or other wear plate 63. The front end of this wear plate 63 is elevated above the surface 62 a distance not greater than the thickness of a paper board blank, so that as the finger advances the chamfered end of the tip -will slide under the lowermost blank in the magazine, but the'front V edge of the wear plate will engage the edge of said blank and advance it from beneath the stack as the feed bar and finger advance.

In order that the blank next above the blank being pushed from beneaththe stack may not be caughtby'the ends of the members 7 54 on the finger 51, these ends are chamfered 1 also as at 64. To prevent'the spring 59 from elevating the tip 55 too high,a stop is provided by a rabbet 65 in the under side of the end of the left hand member 54,

with th overhanging shoulder of which the projecting end of a stop strip 66, riveted to the under side of the wideportion of the finger tip 55 engages, 'By this eonstruction the finger tip 55'w1ll'properly in the magazine even if 'said' blank'be warped, and will not engage more 'thana one blank during the advanc of the feed And the feed finger/may] bar and finger.

'engagethe rear edge of the lowermost blank be positioned on the feed bar in accordance with the length of' the blanks which the,

columns 34 of the magazine are adjusted be provided if found desirable in case paper board blanks of different thicknesses should render a change of wear plates advanta geous. 7 V

In order to reciprocate the feed bar 45 and attached feed finger, the gear wheel 48, before described as arranged'to engage the rack 46, is alternately rotatedin optoreceive. It-will also be obvious thatthe f wear plates 63 of different thickness may posite directions by a rack bar 67, engaging a pinion 68 that is secured to shaft'49' on the end that projects through the hanger 1 50ltoward the righthand side of the ma chine as shown in'Figure 2. On the right hand hanger 50 is formeda slide bearing 69 having an oblique groove to accommodate 1 the slidable rack bar 67, which is held in the groove by 'a removable cap plate 70. The rack bar 67 is rigidly united to a rod .71 that telescopes in a tubular rod 72,1 the lower end of which is sleeved over the re- 1 duced extremity 73 of a forked member '74, V

and pinned thereto as shown in Figure 4.

The forked member 74 passes astride a flanged hub on the cam 75 secured to shaft 16 as shown in Figures 1 and 5,: and carries a roller stud 76 that engages a cam groove in the left hand face of said cam 75. Within the tubular rod 72 between the ends of the forked member 74 and rod71 is a coiled compression spring 77 adapted I to elastically resist the upward thrust of the forked member 74, which is the thrust that rotates the gear 48 in the direction to feed a paper board blank. As an additional resilient connection between the rod 71 and the cam actuated fork 74,.a coil spring '78 surrounds the tubular rod 72, bearing at its lower. end on a collar 79 adjustably secured to said tubular. rod by a set screw 80, and bearing at its upper end against a" collar 81 that bears against a pin 82 passing through the rod and through a'slot 83 in the tubular rod 72, as shown in Figure 1. The purpose of the springs 77 and 78 is to interpose a safety appliance between the positively acting cam 75 and the feed finger 51 so that in case a considerable obstruction is interposed to the advance of the feed finger, as in case a blank should jam, the springs will yield. and al low the forked member 74 to make a complete reciprocation without moving the rack 67. Hence, if the machine should accidentally be clogged, no injury to the mechanism can occur. The tension of the spring 78 may be varied by adjusting collar 79. Al

though two springs are shown and preferred, it will be obvious that one spring disposed in either arrangement will carry out the principle of the machine in the respect noted. One complete rotation of the shaft 16 and cam 75 accomplishes one com plete reciprocation, or advance and return. of the feed finger 51. The cam groove in the'cam 75 is designed to effect the necessary or desirable dwells in the movement of the feed finger.

39 the table 30, whereby to provide a space between the bridge piece. and the table 30 through which a paper board blank B may pass. Pivoted to the right hand end of bridge piece 83 by apivot screw 85 is a two armed member 86, one armq87 of which overlies the top of the bridge piece 83, and

the other arm 88 underlies the bottom sur-' face of it; The two arms 87 and 88 are connected at their right hand ends by a connecting web 88 through which said pivot screw passes and is threaded into the bridge piece 83. The free end of lower arm 88 has riveted to its upper side a horizontal lip 89 extending rearward toward the hopper or magazine, and having a chamfer 90 on the upper side of its extremity. The arm 88 and lip 89 lie in a depression of proper depth and outline in the table 30 so that the upper sides of said arm and lip will present no obstruction to the advance of the paper board blanks B; and the lip is chamfered to allow the blanks to slide freely over it. The lip extends rearward under the stack of blanks when the magazine is filled. A coiled spring 91 seated in a cavity 92 in the upper side of bridge piece 83 exerts its tension to press the arm 87 upward and as this arm is connected to the arm 88 by the web 88, to also press upward the arm 88 and the lip 89 carried thereby. Overlying the upper arm, 87 and riveted to its right hand end is a fiat bar 93 of spring metal, rendered flexible by anarcuate cross cut 94 and given an upward set or bias.

The free end of the fiat elastic bar 93 83, and also a depending plate 96 extending v downward over the front side, or the side away from the magazine, of said bridge piece. a The plate 95 is longer than the plate 96 which has a slot 97 through which passes a pin 97 secured in the bridge piece 83 to limit the vertical play of the arms 87, 88 and bar 93. A headed screw 98 passes freely through a hole in the end of the spring bar 93 and engages a threaded orifice in the arm 87 By the screw 98 the end of the plate 95 may be adjusted toward and from the lip 89 carried by the arm 88. The space between the end of plate 95 and the upper surface of the lip 89 should be just wide enough to admit a paper board blank and the width of this space-may be nicely varied to a minute degree by means of the to a blank though the latter be warped, and

prevent the advance oftwo blanks at once, should one adhere to the other. As the throat once set remains of the same size and may' vary its position within limits sufficient to accommodate itself to any blank, fiat or warped, that is likely to be. presented, all blanks pass from the magazine readily through an even sized throat adjusted with accuracy to the particular thickness of blanks stacked in the magazine.

To keep the blanks pressed flat on the table after they have passed through the throat and beneath the bridge 83 two lateral elastic presser plates 99 and one median plate 100 extend, forward from the-bridge piece toward the former with their lower faces very slightly above the top of the table 30. These presser plates hold the blanks down and insure their continued engagement with the feed finger tip, 55, when no longer held down by thestack of blanks, the bridge 83 and described attachments.

When paper board or other blanks B have been stacked in the magazine formed by the angled uprights 34, with their front portions overlying the lip 89, the feed mechanism is adapted to feed the blanks one by one from the bottom of the stack. As the shaft 16 rotates, the feed finger 51 advances, the spring-pressed finger-tip 55 engages the near edge of a blank B and pushes it forward beneath the bridge member 83; the throat member, comprising the lip, 89 and plate 95, receives the advancing blank B, and the continuing forward movement of the feed finger pushes the blank through the throat under the holding plates 99, 100, into position to be acted on by the forming mechanism as fully described in the application of which this is a division.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a tray forming machine, a support for a stack of blanks, a feed finger movable beneath said stack, said feed finger having end adapted to engage the edge of a blank, the forward end of said finger being chamfered athacent said shoulder.

2. Ina tray forming mechanism, asupport for astack of'blanks, a feed finger movable beneath, said stack, a longitudinally alined member detachably pivoted to said feed finger, means carried by sa d member for Causing the same to rise normally above the surface of said finger, and a shoulder on the upper side of said member rearward of the front edge adapted to engage a blank,

the forward end of saidfinger being chain- V port for a stack of blanks, a bridge piece fered adjacent said shoulder.

In a tray forming machine, a support for a stack of blanks, a feed finger movable on said support beneath said stack, said.

finger having a longitudinally alined pivoted detachable end, a spring normally urging said pivoted end upward, and a shoulder on said pivoted end rearward of its front edge adapted to engage a blank, the forward end of said finger being chamfered adjacent said shoulder.

4. In a tray forming mechanisnna feed finger adapted to pass beneath a stack of blanks, said feed finger having a longitudinal slot extending vertically and longitudinally at its front end, a finger tip "substantially the width of the feed finger at its forward end, said finger tip having a shank lyingin the slot, a pivot connecting the shank with the finger, a spring tending to force the fingertip upward, and a shoulder on the upper surface of said tip rearward of its forward edge.

5. Ina tray forming mechanism, a support for a stack of blanks, a magazine composed of four angle posts spaced apart adapted to position the corners of the blanks, there being a space between the lower end of the two front flanges of the forward angle posts adapted to permit the removal of the lowest blank from the stack, and guide bars con nected to the lower portions of the front angle bars and extending rearward toward the rear angles to guide the lower blank of a stack while being pushed from the magazine.

en position and spacing to an advancing blank 'oted thereto at the connected end, a li menses to prevent more than one blank at a time from passing beneath the bridge piece;

1 7 .In a tray forming mechanism, a support for a stack of blanks, a bridge piece beneath which the blanks may be passed singly, a device having a guide throat formed by spaced members united to move in unison under the control of a blank passing through it, said device comprising conne'cted arms pivoted to the bridge member at one end.

8. In a tray forming mechanism, a support for a stack of blanks, a bridge piece thereon beneath which blanks may be fed singly,- a "device having a guide throat formed by two spaced members freely movable in unison in a vertical direction and 7 adapted to prevent the passage of more than one blank at a time, the lower member ofsaid device having a hp extending under the normal position of the'stack;

9. In a tray forming mechanism, a supunder which blanks may be passed singly,

in a vertical direction, the lower of said parts having a 11p extend ng under'the nor-f mal position of the stack, said lip having a chamfered end. 7 r

10. In a tray forming mechanism, a support for a stack of blanks, a bridge piece adapted to permit blanks to pass singly he neath it, a device having a guide throat formed by two parts'susceptible of alimited vertical movement, a lip member'projecting' from the lower part beneath the stack of blanks and a spring for throat device upward. V

11. In a tray forming mechanism, a bridge pressing the piece adapted to permit the passage of blanks singly, a device having a guide throat formed by two spaced parts connected to-' gether and susceptible of vertical movement,

and means for adjusting the spacing of said parts.

12. In a tray forming mechanism, a support for blanks, a bridge piece adapted to permit blanks to pass singly beneath it, a device having a guide throat formed by two arms connected at one end and extending longitudinally of the bridge piece and piv- 7 it, a device pivoted at one end of said bridge piece and having upper-and lower arms oarrying spaced members adyacent the center of said bridge piece, the upper arm comprising a spring bar secured to said device near its pivoted end and an arm adjustably connected to the spring bar at its free end, said spring bar having the upper of said spaced members secured to it.

14:. In a tray forming mechanism, a support for blanks, a bridge piece adapted to permit the passage of a blank beneath it, an arm overlying the bridge piece, an arm underlying said bridge piece, a web connecting said arms at one end, a pivot connecting the web to the side of the bridge piece at one end, a spring bar secured to the upper side of said overlying arm adjacent to the pivoted end, said spring bar having an upward set at its free end, a guide lip projecting from the free end of the underlying bar, a plate on the free end of the spring arm spaced from said lip and an adjusting device connecting the free end of the spring arm to the overlying bar.

15. In a tray forming mechanism, a support adapted to hold a stack of blanks, a feed finger reciprocable on said support beneath said blanks, a rack connected to the feed finger, a gear engaging said rack, a reciprocable rack for rotating said gear, means for reciprocating the rack, and a section in said rack adapted to yield and stop the movement of the feed finger in the event of an abnormal obstruction.

16. In a tray forming mechanism, a table having a groove, said table being adapted to support a stack of blanks above the groove, a feed finger, a rack bar which is reciprocable in said groove, means for attaching the feed finger to said rack bar, gearing beneath the table arranged to engage the teeth of the rack bar, "a reciprocating bar having rack teeth thereon adapted to oscillate the gearing, a telescoping rod connected to the rack, a spring for holding said telescoping rod extended, and means for reciprocating said rod.

17 In tray forming mechanism, a support for a stack of blanks, four angle posts adapted to position the stack upon the support, means whereby the rearmost angle posts may be adjusted longitudinally of the blank feed, a reciprocating feed bar, a feed finger thereon adapted to pass beneath the stack of blanks and feed the lowermost blank, and an adjustable connection between the feed bar and the feed finger whereby the latter may be adjusted longitudinally with respect to the feed bar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALOYSIUS JOSEPH KUSTERER. 

